Stranger In Dodge pt 1
by westernlove
Summary: When a stranger comes to Dodge looking for a job Kitty hires him, but what she doesn't know is that he's hiding something...


Here's another western for y'all, hope you like it! Please R&R.

I stood at the side of the bar watching the saloon fill with people. Some were already drunk, shouting and carrying on as if they were wildcats. Matt walked in and tipped his hat at me.

"Evenin' Kitty," he greeted.

"Hi, Matt, buy ya a drink?" I asked.

"Well, don't mind if I do," he said.

"Whiskey, Sam," I told the older man behind the bar.

While Matt was drinking his whiskey I watched the room. The doors swung open and in stepped a boy. Judging by his size he couldn't have been more then seventeen. I couldn't see his face because of the hat he was wearing. His trousers were dirty and there was a gun strapped to his hip. When he stepped in the room fell silent. It wasn't often that a kid came into the saloon. As I watched the boy walked up to the bar and slapped down his money.

"Whiskey," he said.

There was something odd about his voice, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Sam glanced at me first. I nodded and his slid the boy his drink. The room got loud again, people whooping and laughing. I kept my eye on the boy and I could tell Matt was doing the same. The kid walked over to one of the tables where a poker game was going on. He slid into an empty chair and slammed down his whisker.

"Deal me in," he said.

The men looked at him and then started to laugh.

"You're just a kid," one inquired.

"Maybe so, but I'm a kid that got money, now deal me in!"

"Aw, let him play, Wes, let the boy give us all his money," another man said.

The first man shrugged and started dealing. I turned back to Matt.

"Hope that kid knows what he's doing," I said.

Matt didn't reply. It only took a few minutes before a fight broke out. I turned towards the shouts. The boy was out of his chair and so was another man that had been at the table.

"That money ain't yours boy, now hand it over!" the man shouted.

"I won it, now you just let me be!" the boy yelled.

The man went for his gun, but before he could get it out of the holster a shot ran out and his hat flew from his head. My eyes went to the boy. His gun was out of the holster and pointed at the man, a small stream of smoke coming from the barrel.

"The next bullets goin' through your head!" the boy snapped.

Matt stepped towards them.

"Alright, break it up," Matt ordered.

"Marshal, arrest this kid," the man said.

"For what?" Matt demanded.

"He stole our money and then took a shot at me!"

"If I recall, Granger, you're the one who said he could play. Now you take your boys and get outa here."

The man called Granger picked his hat up from the floor and walked out of the saloon, two men following behind him.

"Son, you could have gotten yourself in a heap of trouble," Matt said to the boy.

"I can take care of myself," the boy spoke.

Without giving Matt a chance to reply the boy took his money and walked out of the saloon. Matt came back and stood next to me.

"I've never seen anyone draw that fast," he said, bewildered.

"I don't think Granger had either," I said.

"Have you seen that kid around before?"

I shook my head. "No."

The doors swung open and the boy came back in. He walked up to the bar.

"Who owns this place?" he asked Sam.

"Miss Kitty over there," Sam answered.

The boy turned to me and then walked over.

"I need a job," he said.

I looked to Matt for help, but he just shrugged with a slight grin. I didn't know what to tell the boy, I couldn't hire a kid. I opened my mouth to reply, but Matt beat me to it.

"He's a good poker player, Kitty, and haven't you been saying you need a dealer?" he asked.

I shot him a look and then turned back to the boy, still unsure of what to say.

"What's your name, son?" Matt said.

"Drew, Drew Quinton," the boy answered.

"How old are you, Drew?" I asked.

"Sixteen."

"That's a little young to be working in a saloon," I noted.

"It's old enough for me. Can I have the job?"

I glanced at Matt again and he gave a sharp nod.

"Alright you're hired. You start now, pays five dollars a week, now get over there and get a game started," I said.

Drew nodded and took a seat at the table. I watched for a while and was satisfied with the boy's work. I averted my eyes. 

The next morning Matt came into the saloon just as I was coming down the stairs from my room.

"Morning, Kitty, buy ya breakfast?" he asked.

"That sounds lovely," I answered.

Matt escorted me down the street and into the restaurant. We took a table and ordered.

"How's Drew working out?" Matt said.

I took a sip of my coffee. "Quite well, I'm actually surprised at how much business is picking up since I hired him. The saloon was completely full last night after you left."

Matt shook his head and chuckled slightly.

After breakfast he walked me back to the saloon. The day went by pretty quickly and before long I had men piling into the Long Branch. Drew showed up a little late, but instantly took his place at the table.

Trouble started about an hour later when a drunken cowhand started messing with Hillary, one of the ladies who worked here.

"Get away from me!" Hillary shrieked.

"Come on, honey," the man whooped.

I leaned over to Sam. "Go get, Matt."

Sam was out the door in an instant. Drew jumped up from his seat and gave the man a harsh shove away from Hillary.

"You get outa here!" Drew shouted.

The man laughed. "Whacha gonna do boy? Shoot me? I ain't even armed."

Drew took of his gun-belt and flung it to the side.

"I don't need a gun to fight you," he said.

The man laughed again and so did some of the other men in the saloon. I looked at the door. Where was Matt? If he didn't get in here Drew was gonna get himself killed.

Drew took a swing at the man and connected with his nose. The man howled and staggered back. Blood gushed from his nostrils and a fire blazed in his eyes.

"You're gonna pay for that boy!"

The cowhand took a punch at Drew, but the boy ducked and came up on the other side of the man, shoving him from behind and sending him crashing into a table. Laughter filled the room.

"I'm gonna kill you, kid!"

The man charged at Drew and tackled him just as Matt walked in.

"That's enough!" Matt yelled.

He pulled the man off of Drew and what we all saw put everyone in shock. Drew's hat had fallen off and long blond hair has tumbled at. Drew looked up and I saw that Drew was a girl!

To be continued…


End file.
